Habib's Garden

Human Trafficking: Survivors Lead Solutions

Stepping Out of the Shadows: A Letter from the Founder

"This edition is devoted to the women and child leaders who have broken free from the vicious cycle of human trafficking and are blazing new paths to safety and empowerment for others. Women make up 80 percent of trafficking victims, children 50 percent, and it is their leadership that will show us a way forward."

Read more from Jensine Larsen.

Featured Articles

Surviving the Pains, Reaping the Gains
by Cecilia Flores-Oebanda

Survivor and visionary Cecilia Flores-Oebanda was herself a child laborer, selling fish and scavenging to help her family. Now, she is working to put an end to child domestic work and all forms of human trafficking. Here, she discusses her journey from laborer to award-winning activist.

"During my days in the mountains, I carried a gun wherever I went—now I am armed with genuine commitment and undaunted bravery to fight for what I believe."

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I Am Like So Many
by Rani Hong, as told to Rhyen Coombs

Rani Hong didn't know she was a survivor of trafficking until years later, when she learned the truth on a visit to India. Today she advocates for the rights of trafficking survivors and provides victims with a safe place to heal.

"I have always said if we survivors come forth and tell our story—reveal the truth of what happened to us—it will help people understand the realities of human trafficking. We can't stay silent. If we do, we stay in the dark and allow the traffickers to continue the destruction of innocent lives."

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